Should you side with Stone Lord or Thieves Guild in Baldur’s Gate 3? Near Rivington in Baldur’s Gate 3, you encounter two criminal groups in a complex standoff on a hidden beach—members from the Nine-Fingers Keene’s Guild are getting into a fight against the group of the mysterious Stone Lord, Minsc over a smuggled shipment.
Until now, you don’t know either faction’s background or you haven’t met both characters before, but you must pick a side during Aid the Underduke quest in Act 3. Do you help the Guild, the city’s established criminal underworld, or the Stone Lord’s more brutal Zhentarim mercenaries? It’s one of the difficult choices you need to make throughout Baldur’s Gate 3’s storyline. No matter which side you help, it comes with twists, rewards, and consequences. Our guide tells what happens if you choose to side with the Guild or throw in with the Stone Lord.
Who are Stone Lord and Thieves Guild in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Stone Lord is Minsc, a known character from the previous Baldur’s Gate games. He’s a ranger who roams around with Boo, his adorable miniature giant space hamster. His followers are staunchly loyal but operate under the dark influence of Myrkul, one of the Dead Three deities tied to the Cult of the Absolute. The Stone Lord’s ways of doing things are ruthless which clearly reflects his ambition to dominate the city’s underworld.
The Guild, led by the Nine Fingers Keene, is a long-established criminal organization that maintains a balance of power within Baldur’s Gate. While the Guild’s activities are far from legal, they stick to a specific code of conduct that makes them more palatable compared to the Minsc’s crew. They are against the Absolute and its annoying schemes means on bad terms with Stone Lord and need your help to put a stop to his ambitious plans.
Should You Side with Stone Lord or Thieves Guild in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)?
Once you take on the Aid the Underduke objective, you will need to visit across the bridge on the beach area after clearing the blocked path along the way. At this place, you need to decide to either help the Thieves Guild or throw in your lot with Stone Lord. It’s a tough call, to be honest, and there’s no clear-cut good choice here. You will need to visit the Guildhall, where both factions are present. Once there, you’ll talk with the Guild master, and he will tell you that Minsc is creating the bad scenes there.
As the player, you can choose to intervene on behalf of one faction, or attempt to mediate the conflict—a choice that usually results in both sides turning hostile and attacking together. So, you should pick one group to keep things under control and move your progress.
What Happens If You Side with the Stone Lord?
If you decide to throw your lot in with the Stone Lord, here are the good and bad you will face:
- Maybe the most common reason you should side with the Stone Lord is to recruit him, a powerful character from the Baldur’s Gate series. Minsc is a melee ranger capable of dealing massive damage and comes as a valuable addition for battles to your party.
- It allows you to keep Jaheira in your party who complements Minsc’s abilities.
- The disputed cargo on the beach includes unique items, such as mindflayer parasites which increase Illithid abilities. Additionally, siding with the Stone Lord opens doors to other rewards from his faction.
- You have to fight and defeat everyone else present on the scene including the whole Nine Finger’s Guild.
- The Stone Lord’s faction is heavily associated with Myrkul (your enemy) so it is a morally questionable choice. Supporting them might alienate some NPCs or companions who hate such bad ethical elements.
What Happens If You Side with the Guild?
Giving a favor to the Thieves Guild is a more stable choice with better and long-term benefits. Nine Fingers Keene has built a semblance of order within the city’s criminal underworld.
- The Guild’s deep roots in Baldur’s Gate make them special allies. Their connections help a lot in some quests, particularly those involving the city’s politics and power brokers.
- You will receive the help of Farlin in combat.
- Nine Fingers Keene gives good compensation in the form of money for siding with her faction. At this time, you are in great need of cash and resources to get through the complex upcoming challenges.
- You can unlock good interactions in objectives linked to the Underduke and other city factions.
- Choosing the Guild means giving up on inviting Stone Lord as a companion; a big loss for power hungers.
- Leaving Minsc means also losing the Jaheira; nothing major if you don’t mind.
- While the Guild operates with a code, their activities still exploit the city’s resources.
By looking at the normal scenario and the benefits you will receive, I will say you should side with Thieves Guild because there are a lot of rewards and the complete faction at your service. But there is another tricky option and the smart move is to help Stone Lord first. Even though Minsc is starting anew, he is a power to have around – you don’t want to miss out on his antics. Later on, you will get an opportunity where you can help the Nine Fingers Guild, especially when the Zhentarim decide to crash their party. This way, you can convince him to side with you.
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